Alarm pheromone enhances stress-induced hyperthermia in rats

Kikusui, Takefumi; Takigami, Shu; Takeuchi, Yukari; Mori, Yuji

doi:10.1016/s0031-9384(00)00370-x

Cited by 89 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 41 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This stress-related odor increases anxiety levels (8,9) and induces a variety of anxiety-related responses depending on their situation with other rats (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Rats respond to their own stressrelated odor in a similar manner to odor released from the other rats, suggesting that the odor has general effects (10,19).…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Identification of a pheromone that increases anxiety in rats

Inagaki

Kiyokawa

Tamogami³

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Chemical communication plays an important role in the social lives of various mammalian species. Some of these chemicals are called pheromones. Rats release a specific odor into the air when stressed. This stress-related odor increases the anxiety levels of other rats; therefore, it is possible that the anxiety-causing molecules are present in the stress-related odorants. Here, we have tried to identify the responsible molecules by using the acoustic startle reflex as a bioassay system to detect anxiogenic activity. After successive fractionation of the stress-related odor, we detected 4-methylpentanal and hexanal in the final fraction that still possessed anxiogenic properties. Using synthetic molecules, we found that minute amounts of the binary mixture, but not either molecule separately, increased anxiety in rats. Furthermore, we determined that the mixture increased a specific type of anxiety and evoked anxiety-related behavioral responses in an experimental model that was different from the acoustic startle reflex. Analyses of neural mechanisms proposed that the neural circuit related to anxiety was only activated when the two molecules were simultaneously perceived by two olfactory systems. We concluded that the mixture is a pheromone that increases anxiety in rats. To our knowledge, this is the first study identifying a rat pheromone. Our results could aid further research on rat pheromones, which would enhance our understanding of chemical communication in mammals.stress-related odor | alarm pheromone | acoustic startle reflex | anxiety | rat C hemical communication plays an important role in the social lives of various mammalian species. Some of these chemicals are called "pheromones." Because the term pheromone was coined and defined based on findings in insects (1), there is still a debate as to whether the original definition can be applied to mammals (2). Researchers have proposed revised definitions by modifying the original definition and/or specifying additional requirements (3-6). On the basis of the original and revised definitions, we set a working definition of pheromone within this study as (i) substances that are secreted to the outside by an individual and received by a second individual of the same species, in which they cause a specific reaction; (ii) substances that are effective in minute amounts; (iii) substances that are released from living individuals; and (iv) substances that mediate communication for an evolutionarily adaptive function.Rats release a specific odor into the air when stressed (7). This stress-related odor increases anxiety levels (8, 9) and induces a variety of anxiety-related responses depending on their situation with other rats (9-18). Rats respond to their own stressrelated odor in a similar manner to odor released from the other rats, suggesting that the odor has general effects (10,19). In addition, the stress-related odor appears to be effective in minute amounts (20,21). Therefore, the molecules responsible for increasing anxiety levels should exist in the...

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Identification of a pheromone that increases anxiety in rats

Inagaki

Kiyokawa

Tamogami³

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Similarly, water immersion elongated mount, intromission and ejaculation latency, and post ejaculation interval (PEI), and it increased the number of mounts and intromissions, and decreased the hit rate [27]. In addition, we have shown that sexual behavior was also deteriorated by the alarm pheromone [16].We previously showed that foot-shocked male Wistar rats release an alarm pheromone, which aggravates stressinduced hyperthermia (SIH) in pheromone-exposed rats [10] via the vomeronasal system [14]. We can induce the release of this pheromone by electrical stimulation to the perianal region of the anesthetized donor rat [14].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We previously showed that foot-shocked male Wistar rats release an alarm pheromone, which aggravates stressinduced hyperthermia (SIH) in pheromone-exposed rats [10] via the vomeronasal system [14]. We can induce the release of this pheromone by electrical stimulation to the perianal region of the anesthetized donor rat [14].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Naloxone Blocks the Deterioration of Male Sexual Behavior Induced by Alarm Pheromone in Rats

Kobayashi

Kiyokawa

Arata

et al. 2013

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT. Previously, we have demonstrated that the alarm pheromone deteriorates sexual behavior in male rats, which was blocked by pretreatment with a corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) antagonist. Studies have shown that an opioid antagonist blocked the deterioration of male sexual behavior following intracerebroventricular administration of CRH. Therefore, possibly, the pheromone effects could also be mediated by the opioid system. In this study, we pretreated rats with naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist, and examined the following sexual behavior modulations in male rats that were exposed to the alarm pheromone. Naloxone blocked the deterioration of sexual behavior in a dose-dependent manner. On the basis of these data and the results of the previous study, we conclude that the alarm pheromone activates the CRH system, which then activates the opioid system, to deteriorate male sexual behavior. KEY WORDS: alarm pheromone, naloxone, opioid, rat, sexual behavior.doi: 10.1292/jvms.12-0454; J. Vet. Med. Sci. 75(6): 761-765, 2013 Sexual behavior is one of the most important activities for organisms and has been studied for many years. In addition to sexual behavior itself, it also has been demonstrated that various types of stressors can deteriorate male sexual behavior. For example, 2 hr of immobilization elongated intromission latency, increased number of mounts needed for an ejaculation and decreased hit rate (number of intromissions/sum of mounts and intromissions) in male rat [27]. Similarly, water immersion elongated mount, intromission and ejaculation latency, and post ejaculation interval (PEI), and it increased the number of mounts and intromissions, and decreased the hit rate [27]. In addition, we have shown that sexual behavior was also deteriorated by the alarm pheromone [16].We previously showed that foot-shocked male Wistar rats release an alarm pheromone, which aggravates stressinduced hyperthermia (SIH) in pheromone-exposed rats [10] via the vomeronasal system [14]. We can induce the release of this pheromone by electrical stimulation to the perianal region of the anesthetized donor rat [14]. In addition, this alarm pheromone was shown to be water-soluble, because exposure to water droplets collected from the ceiling of the box in which the alarm pheromone was released produced all responses that are observed in recipients directly exposed to the pheromone [12]. This pheromone solution allows us to observe pheromone effects in different experimental paradigms; it can evoke several responses, such as aggravated SIH in the home cage [12,14], increased defensive and risk assessment behaviors in a modified open-field test [15] and enhanced acoustic startle reflex (ASR) [7,8]. In addition to its effects on individual animals, the effects of the alarm pheromone on social behavior have been analyzed [16]. When we presented the alarm pheromone during sexual behavior, male sexual behavior was deteriorated as indicated by the increasing number of mounts and decreasing hit rate, whereas female se...

show abstract

“…Stressed male Wistar rats release a volatile alarm pheromone , from the perianal region that elicits defensive and risk-assessment behavior in receiving individuals, characterized by hyperthermia, increased freezing, sniffing, and walking as well as a decreased resting behavior (Kikusui et al, 2001;Inagaki et al, 2009). So far, the chemical structure of this pheromone has not been elucidated.…”

Section: Alarm Pheromones In Mammalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alarm Pheromones—Chemical Signaling in Response to Danger

Verheggen¹,

Haubruge²,

Mescher³

2010

Vitamins &Amp; Hormones

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this chapter we discuss our current understanding of chemical alarm signaling in a variety of animal groups (including social and pre-social insects, marine invertebrates, fish, and mammals) and in plants. We also briefly discuss the exploitation of alarm pheromones as foraging cues for natural enemies. We conclude with a brief discussion of the potential exploitation of alarm signaling to achieve the applied goal of managing pest species.

show abstract

Alarm pheromone enhances stress-induced hyperthermia in rats

Cited by 89 publications

References 41 publications

Identification of a pheromone that increases anxiety in rats

Identification of a pheromone that increases anxiety in rats

Naloxone Blocks the Deterioration of Male Sexual Behavior Induced by Alarm Pheromone in Rats

Alarm Pheromones—Chemical Signaling in Response to Danger

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About